Vortex generators are well known devices for manipulating the airflow flowing across the surface of a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The function of a vortex generator is to generate vortices downstream of the area where the vortex generator is mounted to the surface of the rotor blade. The generated vortices may re-energize the boundary layer close to the surface of the rotor blade. This re-energization of the boundary layer may delay or prevent stall. The delay or elimination of stall at the section of the rotor blade where the vortex generators are mounted generally increases the lift coefficient of the rotor blade at this section. The increase of the lift is generally desirable. An increase of the lift generally correlates with an increase of the load of the rotor blade. This increase of the load of the rotor blade may be undesirable.
Therefore, there exists the desire to provide a concept how to selectively activate or deactivate, respectively, a vortex generator for a rotor blade of a wind turbine.